Sunday, 23 August 2015

the first, a celebration of our local collective, the Aboriginal Writers Collective West Coast. Watch this site for a review of past accomplishments and occasional updates, showcase of work from collective members, and links to the blogs and sites of participating artists.

second, a new blog for my own whimsical thoughts and artistic impulses, joanne arnott too.

Here I am at Queen Charlotte City library, posing beside a poster that features a book that i wrote, another that i edited, and two more by friends: a happy find!

Tuesday, 4 August 2015

AP: The Original Peoples are involved in politics from the moment they first draw breath in this world. As we saw with the Idle No More movement and the government’s refusal to even talk about Bill C-45, we can shout from the sidelines all we want but will not be heard. There are a few ways to get around this. One is the slow and careful process of lawsuits, petitions, protests, appeals, and so on. Another is what we see happen in moments of frustration: roadblocks, sit-ins, sabotage. But it’s the third way that holds the most hope – that we engage in the process. Look, you can get involved in Canadian society, still retain your culture and identity yet have the opportunity to make real, positive, and lasting change. Personally, I like the third way. Get involved. Be the legislator instead of the perpetually legislated against.

Sunday, 2 August 2015

As one of the +1400 Canadians who made formal complaints after being targetted for fraudulent misdirection at voting time in 2011, I'm disappointed the media allowed the story to become solely focused on Guelph, overlooking those of us at home in the other 246 electoral districts.* I am not sure how many more Canadians received robocalls, without formally registering protest/indignation.

Given that I do not belong to any political party, the only way my personal information might have arrived on the "voter kill list" that Conservative backroom strategists employed in making the calls would have been by writing to my duly elected representative, Alice Wong, and/or other MPs and ministers with whom I engaged in correspondence.

The profound hostility I experienced had a definite chill on my willingness to engage in public discussion or debate, although thankfully the misdirection did not disrupt my household in voting.

Although I wrote to Ms Wong, Stephen Harper and others to request clarification (how my contact information ended up in Conservative Party lists, how I became marked as a public enemy/sub-citizen ripe for target practice), I did not receive any assurance that the elected politicians would work to prevent the misuse of the electoral list in future elections.**

With the new electoral boundaries, I am no longer involved with Ms Wong's political future. But I still do have questions unanswered.

*The Commissioner has received complaints from more than 1,400 electors in 247 electoral districts, who report having received calls misdirecting or misinforming them with respect to their correct polling station, or calls they described as rude, harassing or annoying, received at an inopportune time of day or on multiple occasions. This includes 252 complainants from the electoral district of Guelph.

**A code of conduct for political entities

Beginning of recommendation

In order to increase electors' confidence in the electoral process and in political parties, consideration should be given to the development of codes of conduct applicable to political parties, their officials, candidates, other affiliated entities such as electoral district associations, and active supporters. These codes would be developed by the parties, with Elections Canada's assistance if required.

End of recommendation

Another means of increasing Canadian electors' confidence in the political process and political parties (particularly as regards political entities' use of their personal information), which garnered a broad consensus from the panel of experts consulted by Elections Canada, is the development of a code of ethics or code of conductFootnote 49 for political parties – one to which they would either voluntarily adhere or that could be mandated through legislation.